The Ecological Q-Sort was developed specifically for the measurement of self-concept in older adults. Self-concept is defined as individuals' perceptions of themselves in relationship to their environment. Consequently, self-concept is contextual, multidimensional and varies with the situation. The Ecological Q-Sort was subjected to convergent and discriminant validational procedures in the present study. Correlational analyses provided support for both convergent and discriminant validity, suggesting that this instrument measures ecological, domain specific self-concept in older persons. However, multivariate analysis of variance did not yield significant main effects or interactions for sex, marital status, and health as observed on the sets of ecological and non-ecological self-concept measures.

As environmental quality strongly depends on human behaviour patterns, more attentions have been paid to understand and promote pro-environmental behaviour in the tourism sector with sustainable development. This thesis focuses on online Eco-label accommodation booking as a tourist pro-environmental behavior to study the effects of environmental self-identity and personal norms on prospective tourists’ pro-environmental behaviour. Based on a literature review on the contribution and potential of environmental social psychology for understanding and promoting pro-environmental behaviour, a conceptual framework was proposed, comprising: environmental self-identity, general personal norm and specific personal norm, and online Eco-label accommodation booking, which proposed 7 hypotheses. These hypotheses were tested by a quantitative online questionnaire to collect data and data analysis using a correlationand regression design. The results indicated that all the environmental self-identity and personal norms were positively related to online Eco-label accommodation booking. The findings demonstrated how environmental self-identity affected the intention of online Eco-label accommodation booking via a moral route and the likelihood of achieving this assumed model, which suggested that strengthening environmental self-identity could be an effective way to promotepro-environmental actions. The importance and potential ofenvironmental social psychology for understanding and promotingpro-environmental behaviour in the tourism sector have been discussed.

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The environmental and climate-related sustainability challenges facing the world today are complex, accelerating and urgent, and they call for change from multiple stake­hol­ders. While govern­ments, busi­nes­ses and other insti­tutions hold a high degree of responsibility for initia­ting and enabling the neces­sary change processes towards sustainable practices, so do also individuals and com­munities. Despite inno­va­tive change projects worldwide much remains to be done. However, making changes is difficult for many people, and even more so in situations characterised by uncertainty. In this study the role of future-oriented ima­gination in motivating changes towards sustainable lifestyles was explored through an experimental intervention design. Test group participants were exposed to a guided imagination of a sustainability scenario in the year 2028, followed by a writing assignment allowing them time to en­ga­ge with how they see their own future life. The control group spent the same amount of time listening to a guided present-day reflection and writing about their current everyday life. Pre- and post-intervention, both groups comp­leted lifestyle question­naires. The pre­-­­inter­­vention ques­tion­naire constituted the baseline assessment against which their post-inter­ven­tion questionnaire results (which was asking both groups to record the lifestyle decisions they thought they would be making in the year 2028 on the same behaviours as in the pre-intervention questionnaire) were compared to check for reported degrees of changes. Besides their expected lifestyle changes, their predicted future personal change and degree of pro-environmental self-identity in the year 2028 was measured. The results show that test group participants, who were exposed to the future-oriented imagination, reported a substantially higher degree of future lifestyle changes and future pro-environ­mental self-identity than the control group, as well as predicting a higher degree of future personal change. Future-oriented imagination seems to be a potent pathway for eliciting future-oriented sustainability enga­ge­ment while avoiding some of the risks of negative spillover. This suggests that future-oriented imagination can play an important role in developing motivation for sustainable lifestyle changes, and that it can be a complement to other psychological drivers for pro-environmental behaviours.

Omniprésent au coeur de la stratégie globale des entreprises, l’enjeu environnemental est un moteur distinctif du secteur de fabrication. S’inscrivant dans une tendance qui entraîne un fort niveau d’enthousiasme, la fabrication de produits environnementaux connaît depuis peu une ascension importante. S’appuyant sur l’idéologie du développement durable et du fondement de l’écoconception, les entreprises mettent de l’avant leur performance environnementale en tant qu’argument de vente principal. Pour revendiquer cette plus-value, la communication environnementale se déploie à travers la publicité, notamment grâce à l’écomarketing. L’autodéclaration fait partie des outils de communication. L’autodéclaration, étant l’outil de communication le plus permissif, autorise une grande liberté pour les industriels qui s’engagent dans cette démarche. Ce faisant, en raison même de cette latitude, elle est pauvre en directives; le résultat de la communication peut-être ainsi altéré et la véracité des propos avancés mise en doute. La non-justesse des arguments peut résulter d’une mauvaise volonté de l’industriel ou d’une bonne volonté qui comporte des lacunes lors de la compréhension et de l’exécution de la norme. L’opinion des parties prenantes est ainsi partagée et la réputation de l’autodéclaration se retrouve sous les projecteurs. Cependant, en comparaison avec les autres outils, l’autodéclaration semble moins exigeante en temps, en argent et en facteurs de complexité. C’est pourquoi elle est fortement utilisée dans le secteur de fabrication. Représentant 98 % des entreprises au Québec (BDC, 2011:1), les petites et moyennes entreprises disposent de ressources limitées; c’est d’ailleurs pour cette raison qu’elles sont prédisposées à favoriser l’autodéclaration. L’engouement pour le respect environnemental a suscité l’intérêt du consommateur pour les produits verts. Toutefois, cet intérêt éveille une certaine controverse qui est à l’origine d’une attitude de prudence, voire de méfiance, pouvant laisser présager une ruse marketing. Ce doute est susceptible d’extrapoler et de généraliser la perception négative des consommateurs quant au segment des produits verts. L’usage de cet outil peut remettre en question les principes éthiques de l’entreprise. Le manque de justesse des arguments avancés peut être dû aux directives insuffisantes de l’outil et il peut s’avérer ardu pour les industriels de justifier leurs arguments. Cette recherche qualitative aspire à mettre en lumière les procédures d’autodéclaration environnementale. Cet étude de cas multiples souhaite documenter le cheminement des petites et moyennes entreprises du Québec intéressées par ce type de label; pour ce faire, tant les responsables d’entreprises que les conseillers de l’Institut de Développement de Produit sont conviés à des entrevues semi-dirigées. L’analyse des données présente les bénéfices de l’usage de « la double labellisation ». Cette stratégie jumelle les avantages de la certification à ceux de l’autodéclaration. Afin de redorer la réputation de l’autodéclaration, une des solutions proposées est la stratégie de « double labellisation » et ce, ultimement dans l’intention de lui reconnaitre les mérites qui lui reviennent. Parallèlement, la recherche invite le designer industriel à s’impliquer davantage à l’élaboration de la communication, compte tenu de ses compétences et connaissances. / Ubiquitous in the business management’s strategy, environmental issues are a distinctive factor in what drives the manufacturing sector. Taking part in a trend that requires a high level of enthusiasm, environmental concerns of manufactured products are on the rise as of recent. Based on the ideology of sustainable development and on eco-design statements, companies tend to take advantage of environmental properties by using it as a main sales argument. As a result, environmental communication is gaining more and more importance through advertising so-called green marketing. Self-declaration is among these communications tools. Self-declaration is the most permissive tool and allows great freedom to manufacturers. In regard to its flexibility, it lacks guidelines. Therefore, it often results in a miscommunication and a misunderstanding where veracity can be questioned. The lack of accuracy of the argument can be the result of the industry’s unwillingness or a good will with pitfalls concerning the comprehension and use of the norm’s guidelines. The opinion of stakeholders is thus divided. Therefore, the reputation of self-declaration has been under the spotlight for sometime. Although being the simplest, cheapest and less time-consuming of all environmental tools, self-declaration is still highly used in the manufacturing industry. As 98 % of Québec’s industry is represented by small businesses (BDC, 2011:1), their reality of having limited resources makes it appropriate to use self-declaration. The popularity of the environmental compliance attracts consumers interest towards green products. However, the global controversy about those tends to impair consumers’ craze. In some cases, it may favor a cautious attitude and suggest a marketing skeems. This is likely to extrapolate and generalize consumers’ negative perceptions towards the entire green products market segment. The companies’ ethical principles are being questioned. The lack of accuracy of the argument due to the tool’s insufficient directives makes it hard to defend their arguments. This qualitative research aims to highlight the self-declaration procedures. This multiples case study document the path of small and medium businesses in Québec concerned with self-declared environmental approaches; both business managers and advisors of the Institute of Product Development are invited to semi-directed interviews. The data analysis presents the benefits of the use of “double labeling”. This strategy combines the benefits of certification and self-declaration. In the process of strategically enhancing the standing of self-declaration, ‘double labelling’ would be an option to adopt, the ultimate goal being a well deserved recognition of its merits. This research invites industrial designers to get more involved in the development of communication, due to their skills and knowledge.

This dissertation consists of three empirical analyses examining the interactive and evolving nature of government regulations and how the regulated industries respond to the changes in the regulatory climate. Using the U.S. pulp and paper mills as an example, the three essays bring together a number of strands of literature in environmental economics and policy studies discussing how changes in the U.S. environmental policy are shaped by industry concerns and which strategies firms choose in order to adjust to the changes in policy. Essay 1 examines if, in addition to the standard input factors, indirect costs associated with tax and environmental policies affect papermakers’ ‘stay put’ investment decisions. The findings suggest that state environmental stringency has a negative impact on investments, but it is statistically insignificant and higher taxes do not deter investments. The Essay 2 studies whether voluntary abatement and prevention efforts at pulp and paper mills affects regulatory stringency they face. The analysis tests the hypotheses of ‘responsive regulation’ and whether regulators are driven by numerical pollution targets or budgetary constraints. The findings suggest that voluntary pollution abatement and prevention have greater impact on regulatory stringency than government budgets. Finally, Essay 3 analyzes the relationship between pollution prevention (P2) policy instruments and adoption of P2 modifications. The study tests the hypotheses of whether P2 policy instruments have positive impact on P2 adoptions. The results suggest that the policy instruments have different effects on different types of P2 modifications and that regulatory and political threat is a strong predictor of P2 adoptions.